Separable button



Nov. 6, V1928.

L. w. PRENTlss 1690129* SEFARABLE BUTTON Filed May 7, 1929 /4 "um Irl/,gula .lV/Imm NVENTOR.

b n? f ATTORNEY iatented Nov. 6, 1928.

LOUIS W. PREN'IISS, OF FORT MYER, VIRGINIA.

SEPARABLE BUTTON.

Application led May 7, 1928. Serial No. 275,952.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT F MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757.)

This invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Governnient for governmental purposes, Without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to buttons and more especially to those of the separable type particularly applicable to military usage.

One object of this invention is to provide a button embodying a head in the form of an insignia, a plurality of shanks projecting from the head and a background removably arranged on the slianks adjacent the insignia, which assembly permits the insignia to be cleaned and polished Without damaging the material to Which the button is attached.

Another object of this invention is to provide a separable button embodying a head, a plurality of Shanks" projecting from the head and means in connection with the Shanks to hold the background'of the button iirmly against the insignia, thus preventing its rotation When operatively positioned.

Another object is to provide a separable button, embodying a head, a plurality of Shanks extending from the head, and means formed on the slianks for cooperation with the base of the button to render said base adjustable on the slianks commensurate With the thickness of the material to which the button is applied.

Further 'objects of this yinvention appear more fully in the description of the invention which consists in the new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set. forth and claimed.

Briefly stated, this invention comprises an insignia of suitable design having on its rear surface a pair of diametrically opposed, rearwardly projecting shanks reduced at two or more points in their length to provide a plurality of shoulders, a base formed with seats to receive the shanks and having means associated with the seats for engagement With said shoulders, a background positioned upon the Shanks intermediate the insignia and base, and springs carried by the respective shank, to engage the background and force the latter into operative relation With respect to the overlying insignia.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing in which corresponding parts are indicated by similar reference characters Eig.' l is a view illustrating the application of insignia and background to the uniform of an Army officer.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View illustrating the arrangement of the insignia on the background.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the coinbination of the background held in tached to the slianks Fig. 4 is a sec insignia with its detachable position by springs atof the insignia.

tionized assembly View of the the Army, the

insignia and its background,

constituted a unitary structure and as a consequence cleaning Without soiling 'the garment to Which the button was more or less of It is therefor attached, Was a diiiicult undertaking. e the aim and purpose of this invention to remove this defect by providing a button of thre e separable components, head,

background and base, Which may be quickly and conveniently disassembled for any purpose desired.

In the illustrated embodiment character.-

izing this inven tion (l) indicates an insignia button which in the present illustration is shown attached to a U. S. Army uniform.

This button co nsists of a head (2) in the form of an insignia, said head being provided with late rally spaced shanks (3) and (et) which project rearwardly and are per pendicular to t button head he under surface (5) of the Slidably mounted on the slianks (3) and (4) is a background (6) consisting of a disk shaped member having therein apertures (7) and (8) through which the shanks (3) Fig. 5 of the d and (4) project as shown in rawings.

The background (6) Ywhen in underlying relation with respect to the insignia is held in position by means of leat springs (9) and (10) suitably secured to the Shanks (3) and (4) as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

In order to facilitate alignment of the parts the Shanks and (4) are formed with shoulder pieces (12) and (13) which fit into the apertures (7) and (8) of the background (6). These Shanks (3) and n(4) are further provided with saw tooth like shoulders (14) and (15) which will hereinafter be described.

The base member (16) cooperating with Shanks (3) and (4) in the present instance comprises a hollow -shell (17) having front and rear portions (18) and (19), the front portion (18) being formed with laterally spaced apertures (20) the surrounding walls of which are inclined with respect to said front portion (18) to provide seats (21) and (22). On the rear portion (19) are also formed a plurality of apertures (23) in alignment with the said aperture in the front portion.

Each of the openings (23) is covered by a cap (25) carrying a pair of resilient tongues (24) which extend through said opening and to the interior of the base. The tongues are curvedV inwardly toward each other as at (26) and outwardly as at (26') so that when caps (25) are depressed, the inwardly curved portions (26) of the tongues are directed by the converging walls of seats (2l) and (22) into binding engagement with one of the shoulders (14) and (15) of Shanks (3) and (4) dependent upon the thickness of the material to which the button is attached, as will be readily understood without further discussion.

As the tongues are brought into engaged relation with said shoulders the portions (26') of tongues (24) having passed through the openings (23) of the base eX- pand sufficiently to retain the caps in their depressed position.

W'ith this arrangement it is evident, a button iS provided having a base which may be quickly disengaged from the head, to permit ready removal of the button from the garment to which it is applied and enable the background and insignia to be separately handled for cleaning or any other purpose desired.

Although in the foregoing certain elements have been described as best adapted to perform the functions allotted to them, nevertheless it is to be understood that various lninor changes may be resorted to within the Scope of the appended claims without departing from or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and Wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A separable button comprising a head in the nature of an insignia, a pair of Shanks projecting from the head, a base, coacting means in connection with said base and Shanks to detachably engage the base with said Shanks, a background removably positioned upon the Shanks between the base and head and means carried by the Shanks and cooperating with the background to prevent relative movement of the latter with respect to said head.

2. A separable button comprising a head in the form of an insignia, a pair of shanks projecting from the head, a series of shoulders formed on each of said Shanks, a base, means associated with the base and coacting with said shoulders to effect a detachable connection between said base and head, a background disposed between the base and head and having therein apertures for the passage of said Shanks and means carried by the Shanks and eoacting with the background to prevent relative movement of the latter with respect to said head.

3. A separable button comprising a head in the form oi an insignia, a pair of Shanks projecting from the head, a series of shoulders formed on each of said Shanks, a base, means associated with the base and co-actng with Vsaid shoulders to e'ect a detachable connection between base and head, a background disposed between the base and head and having therein apertures ,for the passage ot said shanks and a leaf spring carried by each shank for engagement with the background to force the latter into engagement with the head and prevent relative movement therebetween.

4. A separable button comprising a head in the form of an insignia, a pair of Shanks projecting from the head in laterally spaced relation, a series of shoulders formed in aligning relation on each of said Shanks, a base, means associated with the base and coacting with the shoulders to effect a detachable connection between said base and head, a background situated intermediate the hase and head and having therein openings for the passage of Said Shanks and spring means carried by each of said Shanks and coacting with the background to prevent relative movement between said head and background.

5. A separable button comprising a head in the form of an insignia, a pair of annular bosses disposed in laterally spaced relation on the rear surface of the insignia, a shank extending from each of said bosses, a series of shoulders formed on Said Shanks, a base, means associated with the base and coaeting with said shoulders to e'ect a detachable connection between the base and head, a background disposed intermediate the base and head and having therein openings for the passage of said bosses and a leaf spring llU carried by each of said shanks and coacting with the background to revent relative movement of the latter an said head.

6. A separable button comprising a head in the nature of an insignia, a shank projecting from thehead, abase, coacting means in connection With said base and shank to detachably engage the base with said shank, a background removably positioned ugon the shank between the base and head an means l0 carried by the shank and cooperating with the background to prevent relative movement of the latter with respect to said head.

' LOUIS W. PRENTISS. 

